Dozens of Missionaries Forced to Flee Haiti amid Growing Violence

According to media reports, there have been riots in the country, calling for the resignation of President Jovenel Moise. CBN News reports that families have had to go into hiding and people are paying money to travel safely on the streets.

"There have been lots of demonstrations in Haiti over the past year. There are lots of people that are unhappy with the government and the way the president is doing things. It's just been escalating and building up," said Lisa Honorat, a missionary who has since fled the country.

"It was all over the country, not just in the city,” she said. “There have been roadblocks and looting and burning tires, burning cars. If anyone tries to go out on the street, they will destroy your car. It's very dangerous.”

"A man we talked to on the plane yesterday said he got through by driving but at every checkpoint, he had to pay between U.S. $500 and $5,000 just to get through."

James Roberts, vice president of Haiti Arise, says the riots and violence started when food and fuel depots were closed.

“People couldn't even buy food, if there was any available, because the money got devalued. So, we were starting to run out of food for all our people," he said.

Mission organization Dirt Road Project had plans to travel to Haiti to help with those food shortages and provide other aid, but the U.S. State Department has since ordered an evacuation of all non-emergency U.S. citizens in the country.

"The majority of the people in Haiti, if not all, are wonderful people and they deserve better," said April Benson, founder of the Dirt Road Project.